Cylinder flat bed printing machines



Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. M LAUGHLIN 2,958,276

CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 11 SheetsSheet 1 Inventor By nfl (I u AGE NT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MCLAUGHLIN CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1958 Inventor Hum Roaens muoeuuu AGENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. McLAUGHLlN 2,958,276

CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

Inventor mm Roms lflcuwauuu A GENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MCLAUGHLIN CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 15, 1958 Inventor HUGH Ros ans AkbWGM/U AGENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MCLAUGHLIN 2,958,276

CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 ll Sheets-$heet 5 Inventor Hm ROeERS flcuvemu/ A6ENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. M LAUGHLIN 2,958,276

CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 R RR 7 W A Nov. 1, 1960 H. RfM LAUGHLlN 6 CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet '7 la 11 94 20 F IG] 1a F 75 32 I as 523 1e 7 i 55 8?. a2 17. I: w 74 5+ 1 .3

Inventor e7 (,0 2 1 62 67 I7 Hv rmom: ACMvM/A/ H 60 j? By AGENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. McLAUGHLlN CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 15, 1958 Inventor Hm Roam; muwmnv AGENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MQLAUGHLIN CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 15, 1958 FIGJT FIG. 18

Inventor W614 R06ER5 XAcLAUM LW AGENT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MOLAUGHLIN CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES ll Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed April 15, 1958 AGE/VT Nov. 1, 1960 H. R. MOLAUGHLIN 2,958,276

CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 CYLINDER FLAT BED PRINTING MACHINES Hugh Rogers McLaughlin, 39 Nutley Lane, Ballshridge, Ireland Filed Apr. 15, 195s, Ser. No. 728,726

Claims priority, application Ireland May 17, 1957 12 Claims. (Cl. 101-270) This invention relates to cylinder flat bed printing machines of the kind in which a paper sup-porting cylinder rotatable about its own axis rolls upon a type-carrying fiat bed to produce a printing impression, the machine according to the present invention being a portable one intended for office use in the form of a small machine adapted for either manual or power actuation. It is, therefore, to be understood that the expression printing machine as used hereinafter is intended to include addressing and the like office machines as Well as letterpress printing machines, and the expression type. as used hereinafter is intended to include stereotype and other known forms of printing plate.

The limitations imposed by the necessity for portability and compactness in office printing machines have heretofore confined such machines to being of the kind comprising a flat bed and a platen mounted for printing impression contact together under pressure, or in which the flat bed and platen are hinged together at one end for pivotal movement into and out of printing contact. In other known kinds of oflice printing machines a paper supporting platen is recip-rocated into and out'of printing contact position with a type-carrying fiat bed, but hitherto it has not been possible to incorporate in an automatic portable ofiice printing machine the well known advantages arising from printing by means of a paper supporting cylinder rolling upon a stationary type-carrying fiat bed, the difficulty being that the path of linear travel of the cylinder required to permit feeding of the paper thereto, printing contact and subsequent withdrawal of the printed paper from the cylinder is of necessity so great as to prohibit its incorporation in a portable office machine. Moreover, special means for withdrawal of the printed paper from the cylinder would have to be provided involving additional manufacturing difiioulty and costs.

The present invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties by means of a novel construction of office portable printing machine offering all the known printing advantages of a paper supporting cylinder rolling upon stationary type on a flat bed which is readily accessible in the machine, in which Withdrawal of the printed paper from the cylinder is gravity actuated without the necessity for providing special withdrawal means, and in which effective inking roller means may be readily incorporated.

The cylinder fiat bed printing machine of the present invention is essentially distinguished from hitherto known portable. office printing machines in that it employs a horizontal paper supporting cylinder which is not only rotated about its own axis but is adapted for simultaneous controlled bodily movement in a path surrounding a fixed axis defined by a horizontal driven shaft to which the cylinder is articulated, portion of said bodily movement being linear during which the paper supporting cylinder is rotated about its own axis to roll upon the face of the type mounted upon a stationary flat bed to effect print tcs atcnt ing impression, the stationary type being inked by inking roller means operated from the driven shaft to roll upon the face of the type during each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference .to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the machine from its paper delivery end,-the cylinder being in its paper feeding position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of portion of the machine at its other end, parts being omitted to expose portion of the inking roller assembly.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, the cylinder being in its paper feeding position, but omitting the paper feed and paper release trip for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 4 is a front side elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the cylinder paper grip in opened position.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the parts in the positions they occupy when the cylinder commences printing rolling contact with the type.

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view on the line XIXI of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view of portion of the inking roller assembly.

Fig. 13 is a detail view from the rear side of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectional view simiiar to Figs. 6 and 10 but showing the parts in the positions they occupy on release of the printed paper from the cylinder.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of an automatic address plate feeding arrangement for attachment to the machine to enable it to function as an addressing machine.

Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken on the line XVII- XVII of Fig. 15.

Fig. 18 is a detail view to an enlarged scale of the action of the pivotal latch.

Referring to the drawings the type 1 is mounted facing upwardly upon a horizontal bed 2 forming the base of the machine to which base a of upright spaced apart frames 3, 4 are fixed said frames rotatably supporting a main horizontal driving shaft 5 which is actuated either by belt drive 6 from a motor 7, or manually by a handle 8 detachably clutched to an extension of shaft 5 projecting through frame 3.

A driven shaft 9 rotatably mounted in the 3, 4 is operated by chain and sprocket drive 10 from the main shaft 5, and a paper supporting cylinder 11 having a central axial spindle 12 is articulated to driven shaft 9 by means of a pair of radial arms 13 fixed at one end to shaft 9 and pivotally connected at their other ends to a pair of cradle links 14 bridged by a transverse member 15, the cylinder spindle 12 being rotatably supported in the free ends of the links 14.

The spindle 12 is provided with a pair of cam rollers 16 at its ends which ride up oppositely disposed and aligned cam tracks 17 formed on frames 3 and 4, and spindle 12 also carrying a pair of track wheels 18 position-ed to engage and ride upon a pair of horizontal track rails 19 secured to the bed 2, the level of the rails 19 with reference to the diameter of the wheels 18 being such that the peripheral surface of the cylinder 11 rolls upon the stationary type 1. Upon actuation of the main .ment the wheels 18 press and ride upon the rails 19 while the cam rollers 16 press upwardly against the lowermost linear portions of the cam tracks 17 whereby all stresses are removed from the driven shaft 9.

The spindle 12 has also fixed thereto a sprocket 20 adapted to engage a chain 21 secured to frame 3, said chain 21 extending as shown parallel to the side portions and linear bottom portion of the cam track 17. It will be apparent that during the period the sprocket 20 is in engagement with chain 21, the cylinder 11 is positively rotated about its own axis while it simultaneously moves bodily around the driven shaft 9, and the pitch of the chain 21 in relation to the diameter of the sprocket 20 is such that the cylinder 11 makes two complete revolutions about its own axis during each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder 11, the second revolution being completed when the sprocket 20 disengages from the end of chain 21 following delivery of the printed paper from the cylinder 11.

During the remainder of the bodily movement of cylinder 11 until the sprocket 20 re-engages the chain 21, the cylinder ll is positively restrained from rotation about its own axis so that it will present itself to the paper feeding mechanism in correct position to receive a fresh sheet of paper for printing, as will hereinafter be explained.

As will be more apparent from Figs. 8 and 9, the cylinder 11 is provided with a paper gripping bar 22 disposed parallel to the cylinder axis and hinged at one edge of the bar 22 in trunnions 23 to the peripheral surface of the cylinder 11, the bar 22 being continuously urged to closed paper gripping position by springs 24 anchored at one end to pins 25 on the bar 22 and at the other end to a fiixture 26 in the cylinder interior to which the spring 24 pass through holes 27. The bar 22 is also provided with a lug 28 projecting from one end thereof for engagement with a cam plate 29 fixed to frame 3 whereby the bar 22 is hinged open against the action of springs 24 when lug 28 rides on the cam plate 29 during the bodily movement of cylinder 11. Immediately after lug 28 rides off the cam plate 29, the gripping bar 22 snaps to closed paper gripping position.

The paper 30 may be fed automatically to the machine by any known friction or suction feed preferably with facilities for rise and fall off the paper table 31. Since the automatic paper feeding mechanism forms no part of the present invention it is shown diagrammatically in the drawings in the form of a standard push bar friction roller feed 30a driven by chain and sprocket drive 32 from driven shaft 9.

The track wheel 18 adjacent to frame 4 is provided near its periphery with a cam roller 33 adapted to ride between an upper cam rail 34 (see Fig. 6) fixed to frame 4 and a lower cam rail 34a fixed to, and having the same contour as, the upper portion of cam track 17, when cylinder 11 is commencing its upper approximately horizontal bodily movement after sprocket 20 disengages from the end of the chain 21 most adjacent to the paper delivery end of the machine. The engagement of am roller 33 between rails 34 and 34a restrains cylinder 11 from rotation about its own axis, and maintains cylinder 11 in correct position for the feeding of paper 30 thereto at the end of the upper approximately horizontal bodily movement of cylinder 11 when lug 28 on the paper gripping bar 22 engages cam plate 29' and simultaneously sprocket 20 engages chain 21 again, the same tooth on the sprocket 20 always engaging the commencement of chain 21. Cam rails 35 are secured to the frames 3 and 4' corresponding in contour to the substantially vertical '4 portions of the cam tracks 17 and spaced apart therefrom a distance sufiicient to maintain cam rollers 16 in rolling contact with the cam tracks 17.

The machine is conveniently adapted for the incorporation therein of standard duct and distributing roller inking means actuated jointly from the driving shaft 5 and from the driven shaft 9. A duct roller 36 with its co-operating transfer roller 37 and driven roller 38 are mounted upon a pair of upright plates 39 fixed to a transverse bracket 40 secured to the frames 3 and 4 in a position beneath the paper feeding table 31. A duct plate 41 is mounted on bracket 40 as shown so that its bottom edge contacts the duct roller 36 tangentially with a pressure which may be adjusted by screws 42, forming a trough or duct with roller 36 into which printing ink is fed manually or automatically as may be desired. The transfer roller 37 is journa'lled in the turned down ends 43 of a transverse strap 44, the turned down ends 43 being pivoted at 45 to the upright plates 39 whereby the transfer roller 37 can pivot. Normally the transfer roller 37 is maintained in contact with roller 38, continuously driven by belt 38a from main shaft 5, by a spring 46 anchored at one end to a tie bar 47 extending between the upright plates 39 and at its other end to a pin 48 mounted on a spring tongue 49 secured to strap 44.

Pivotal movement of roller 37 into contact with duct roller 36 is effected from a transverse shaft 50 journalled in the side frames 3 and 4 and oscillated from the driven shaft 9 (see Fig. l) by a link 52 pivotally connected to crank arms 51 and 53, the shaft 50 having fixed centrally thereon a boss 54 to which a tripping trigger 55 is pivoted at 56 in such manner that when shaft 50 is oscillated in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Figs. 2, 6, l0, l2 and 14, trigger 55 depresses spring tongue 49 thereby pivoting transfer roller 37 about pivots 45 into 7 contact with duct roller 36 from which it receives a surface coating of ink, and when shaft 50 is oscillated in a clockwise direction viewing the aforesaid figures, trigger 55 can pivot about its pivot pin 56 allowing transfer roller 37 to return to its normal position in contact with the driven roller 38 to which it transfers a surface coating in ink.

As will be more apparent from Figs. 12 and 13, a pawl 57 pivotally connected to shaft 50 engages a ratchet wheel 58 secured on the spindle of duct roller 36 adjacent to frame 4, and as shaft 50 is oscillated the duct roller 36 is intermittently rotated to promote more uniform application of the ink thereto.

The ink is conveyed by the driven roller 33 to second assembly of rollers mounted horizontally between a pair of upright plates 59 for reciprocation upon a pair of track rails 60 parallel to and disposed inside of track rails 19 at such a level that the two inking rollers 61 of the second assembly roll upon the type 1 twice during each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder 11. The spindles of rollers 61 are journalled in the upright plates 59 and carry upper track wheels 62 for engagement with the upper surfaces of rails 60, the plates 59 extending downwardly between the rails 19 and 60 and having pairs of lower track wheels 63 mounted thereon for engagement with the lower surfaces of rails 60.

A roller 64 rides in contact with the inking rollers 61, the spindle of roller 64 journalled in the plates 59 having fixed thereto a boss 65 having an inclined face constituting a cam surface engaged by a stud 66, contact between the stud 66 and cam boss 65 being maintained by a spring 67 encircling the spindle at its other end and located between the end of roller 64 and plate 59. As the rider roller 64 rotates in contact with inking rollers 61 it is, accordingly, oscillated axially to distribute more uniformly the ink conveyed thereby to the inking rollers 61.

Rider roller 64 receives the ink from a distributing roller 68 journalled between the downturned ends 69 of '5 a transverse cradle 70, said downturned ends being pivoted at 71 to the plates 59. A spring 72 anchored between one plate 59 and the transverse cradle 70 urges roller 68 into contact with rider roller 64.

The second assembly of rollers is reciprocated by means of a link 73 pivotally connected to plate 59 and to a crank arm 74 fixed on the oscillated shaft 50, and as the second assembly reciprocates towards the duct roller assembly, a small cam roller 75 carried on the end of an arm 76 fixed to one of the downturned ends 69 of transverse cradle 70 engages beneath a lever 77 pivoted near its centre at 78 to frame 4 and held against a stop 79 on frame 4 by a coil spring 80 connected to the lever 77 and anchored at 81 to frame 4. Engagement with lever 77 swings cradle 78 clockwise about pivots 71 viewing Figs. 6, and 14, to bring roller 68 into contact with the driven roller 38 of the duct roller assembly from which it receives a coating of ink, said coating being transferred to the inking rollers 61 through the medium of oscillating rider roller 64 with which distributing roller 68 resumes contact on the return reciprocation when cam roller 75 disengages again from beneath lever 77.

In operation and commencing with the parts in the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, the cylinder 11 has nearly completed its upper approximately horizontal travel with cam rollers 16 riding on cam tracks 17 and the cylinder 11 being positively restrained against rotation on its own axis by the cam roller 33 riding between the upper and lower cam rails 34, 34a, whereby cylinder 11 is presented to the paper feeding mechanism with the paper gripping bar 22 thereon in correct position. The reciprocated inking rollers 61 have rolled on the type 1 and are approaching the duct roller assembly 36, 37, 38.

When gripping bar 22 is opened by lug 28 engaging on cam plate 29 the friction feed 30a pushes a sheet of paper 30 with its edge between gripping bar 22 and the cylinder surface, and as the gripping bar 22 closes when lug 28 rides off cam plate 29, the sprocket 20 engages chain 21 and cylinder 11 is rotated anti-clockwise viewing Fig. 6 about its own axis while simultaneously being moved bodily downwardly towards the type 1. During this bodily travel, the paper 30 is wrapped around the cylinder 11 being assisted in doing so by a pair of suitably shaped wrapping arms 82 extending from the transverse member of the cylinder cradle, and as shown in Fig. 10 the cylinder 11 rotates sutficiently upon its own axis in the downward travel to present a lay edge to the type 1, i.e. with the gripping bar 22 just clear of the edge of the type chase so as not to foul same. In the meantime the reciprocated inking rollers 61 have moved up to the duct roller assembly and distributing roller 68 has been pivoted into contact with driven roller 38.

Rolling printing contact with the type 1 ensues during which the track wheels 18 ride on the track rails 19 and the cam rollers 16 ride on the horizontal linear bottom portions of cam tracks 17. The reciprocated inking rollers 61 follow the linear travel of the cylinder 11 and roll upon the type 1. again in doing so.

As cylinder 11 rolls over the transverse centre line of the type directly below driven shaft 9, it will have completed one revolution about its own axis, and it completes a second revolution on emerging from sprocket engagement with chain 21 just as cam roller 33 rides between cam rails 34, 34a, to prevent further rotation of the cylinder during the top approximately horizontal travel of the cylinder 11.

In the position of the cylinder 11 shown in Fig. 14, the gripping bar 22 is opened by lever 83 with a cranked end 84, the lever 83 being rigidly secured to a transverse shaft 85 rotatably supported in the frames 3 and 4 and having also fixed thereto a bracket 86 carrying a spring tongue 87 normally resting upon a stop 88 secured to frame 4, in which position the lever 83 occupies the inoperative position shownin dotted outline in Fig. 10, but when a stud 89 fixed on the track wheel 18 of cylinder 11 adjacent to frame 5 trips the spring tongue 87, shaft is rotated to bring the cranked end 84 of lever 83 into engagement with lug 28 of the paper gripping bar 22 to open same, and the printed paper 30 falls by gravity into a paper delivery tray 90 pivoted to lugs 91 secured to the frames 3, 4 so as to be capable of being pivoted upwardly towards the interior of the machine to close the end of same when the machine is not in use. The slanting plate 92 bridging the space between a transverse tie rod 93 and the type chase assists in directing the released paper 30 into the delivery tray 90. It will be noted that the wrapping arms 82 are so positioned that they do not obstruct release of the printed paper 30 from the revolving cylinder 11 when the paper gripping bar 22 is opened by lever 83, and paper delivery is effected without the provision of special paper delivery mechanism.

One or more tie rods 94 are provided between the frames 3 and 4.

The entire machine may be enclosed by a cover detachably secured to the side frames 3 and 4 leaving only the paper table 31 and the paper delivery tray 90 exposed to view during operation, both of which may be pivotally attached to the machine to fold inwardly when the machine is not in use. The entire machine may be mounted upon a small wheeled trolley to facilitate its portability. For power actuation from the motor 7, the machine is equipped with a suitable on and off switch controlling the motor 7 and a flexible cable connected to the switch and terminating in a plug connector for insertion in an electric mains socket supply.

It will be apparent that the type 1 may be replaced by stereotype or other known forms of printing plate, and the machine according to the invention may be readily adapted for use as an addressing machine for office use merely by substituting for the type 1, the address plates in succession, all the other components of the machinepaper wrapper or envelope feeding, cylinder movement, inking roller arrangements functioning as heretofore.

Such adaption of the machine can readily be effected by removing the type chase and its base plate from the bed 2 and detachably securing to the underneath surface of the bed 2 and the transverse bracket 40 an automatic address plate feeding arrangement such as that illustrated in Figs. 15 to 18.

In this arrangement the address plates 95, each having V-section sliding runners 96 formed along each end side, are stacked in a feeding hopper 97 open at the bottom so that the lowermost plate 95 rests with its runners 96 straddling a pair of horizontal track rails 98 secured to the hopper 97 and to an address plate bed 99. The track rails 98 are formed on their exterior sides with a pair of recessed runways 100 for the reciprocation therein of a pair of pawl slides 101 the inner ends of which are offset outwardly and connected to the ends of a pair of pivoted links 102 the other ends of which are pivotally connected to a pair of crank arms 103 of a shaft 104 journalled in bracket bearings 105 for oscillation from driven shaft 9 by a pair of cranks 106, 107, and pivotal link 108.

The outer end of each slide 101 has a pawl 109 pivoted thereto as shown, the centre of gravity of the pawl 109 being below the pivotal axis 110 so that the tendency of each pawl 109 is to assume a vertical position. The pair of pawls 109 are in alignment with the V-section sliding runners 96 of the address plates 95.

In operation, when shaft 104 is oscillated in a clockwise direction viewing Fig. 16, the runners 96 are reciprocated to the right and each pawl 109 pivots in an anticlockwise direction about its pivotal axis 110 when the curved top portion of each pawl engages the V-section sliding runner 96 of an address plate 95 as the pawl 109 reciprocates to the right thereunder (see Fig. 18).- Near outer dead-centre each pawl 109 clears the address plate 95 and assumes a vertical position as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, whereupon on the return reciprocation when shaft 104 is oscillated in the reverse direction, the pawls 109 engage the ends of the V-section runners 96 and push the lowermost address plate 95 along the tracks '98 to the inner dead centre position on bed 99, the hopper 97 being cut away at the bottom to allow the lowermost plate 95 to be pushed therefrom. Each pawl 109 is prevented from pivoting in a clockwise direction viewing Fig.. 18 beyond the vertical position by its engagement with the end 101a (see Fig. 18) of slide 101, but each pawl 109 is free to pivot. in the anti-clockwise direction.

Displacement of the plates 95 during their travel to the printing bed 99 is prevented by a pair of guide strips 111 welded at one end to the hopper 97 at 112 and se-, cured at their other ends to a transverse member 113.

Following rolling printing impression of the wrapper or, envelope supporting cylinder 11 upon the printing plate 95, the plate 95 remains upon the bed 99 until it is displaced therefrom by the arrival of the next plate 95 delivered by the reciprocated pawl slides 101, whereupon the plate 95 falls into a delivery receptacle 114 detachably secured to bed, and the printing plates 95 stack themselves in this delivery receptacle 114 in the same order as they are discharged from the hopper 97. Oscillation of shaft 104 from the driven shaft 9 ensures that a new printing plate 95 is delivered to the printing bed 99 once during each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder 11 and in correct sequence therewith.

Inking of the printing plates 95 is effected in exactly the same way as previously described for letterpress printing and affords superior inking of the plates 95 than in the hitherto known type inking of addressing machine plates.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable printing machine having a feeding end and another end, the machine comprising, in combination: a stationary fiat bed forming the base of the machine, the bed having an under-surface and an upper surface adapted to support a printing plate; a pair of side frames extending upwardly from the bed and each having an interior side; a transverse horizontal shaft extending between and rotatably mounted in the frames; means for rotating the shaft; a horizontal paper supporting cylinder having two ends and articulately connected to the shaft for controlled bodily movement in a path about the shaft, the movement consisting of an uppermost substantially horizontal movement, a downward arcuate movement, a lower linear horizontal movement and an upward arcuate movement; means for imparting controlled automatic rotation to the cylinder in two revolutions about its own axis during the downward, lower and upward movements of the cylinder; means for maintaining the cylinder against rotation about its own axis during the uppermost movement of the cylinder; means located at the feeding end of the machine for automatically feeding successive sheets of paper to the cylinder at the termination of the uppermost movement of the cylinder; wrapping means for folding the paper around the cylinder as the cylinder is rotated about its own axis during its downward movement; means controlling the lower movement of the cylinder in a linear path for rolling the cylinder upon the printing plate; automatic releasing means for permitting withdrawal of each printed paper from the cylinder during the upward movement of the cylinder; and inking means including inking rollers reciprocably connected to the shaft for rolling upon the type twice during each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder.

2. A printing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inking means comprises a duct roller assembly adapted to be fed with printing ink and mounted transversely between said frames; a pair of track rails secured to the bed; an assembly of inking rollers; crank and pivotal link means for connecting the assembly of inking rollers to the shaft, said assembly of inking rollers being reciprocable by the shaft upon said track rails into contact with the ductroller assembly for receiving a supply of ink therefrom and into rolling contact with the printing plate twice during each cycle of bodily movement of the cyl inder.

3. A printing machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a unit detachably secured to the undersurface of the base for the automatic successive feeding of address printing plates into printing position, said unit comprising a hopper in which the address printing plates are stacked one above the other, said hopper having a base; a pair of horizontal track rails; a pair of slides reciprocable on said rails between the base of the hopper and a position corresponding to the printing position of the address printing plates upon the bed; means connected to and actuatable by the shaft for reciprocating the slides; pawls pivo-tally mounted on the slides and adapted to successively engage the lowermost of the stack of address printing plates and to convey it into printing position during each reciprocation of the slides in a direction away from the hopper; and a delivery receptacle secured to the track rails for receiving each address printing plate successively from the printing position following printing therefrom, each address printing plate being advanced toward and into the receptacle by the movement into printing position of the next address printing plate.

4. A printing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the shaft comprises a main shaft extending transversely between and rotatably mounted in the frames; motor means operatively connected to the main shaft for rotating same; and a chain and sprocket drive from the main shaft to said first mentioned shaft.

5. A printing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the shaft comprises a main shaft extending transversely between and rotatably mounted in the frames, said main shaft having an extension; a manually aotuatable handle detachably clutched to the extension of the main shaft; and a chain and sprocket drive from the main shaft to the first mentioned shaft.

6. A printing machine as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pair of endless oppositely inclined and aligned cam tracks formed on the interior sides of the frames, each track consisting of an uppermost substantially horizontal portion, a lower horizontal linear portion, and two arcuate side portions between said uppermost and said lower portions; a spindle axially traversing the cylinder and having two end extensions projecting beyond the ends of the cylinder; a pair of cam rollers, each carried by one of said end extensions and engaging with one of the cam tracks for conforming the bodily movement of the cylinder to the path defined by the contours of the cam tracks; a pair of horizontal track rails secured to said bed; and a pair of track wheels, each having an exterior side and each connected to one of said end extensions, said track wheels riding upon the track rails for controlling the bodily movement of the cylinder in conjunction with the cam rollers in a linear horizontal path while the cylinder rolls on the printing late.

P 7. A printing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for imparting controlled automatic rotation to the cylinder comprises a sprocket chain fixed to the interior side of one of the frames and having a contour corresponding to that of the lower horizontal linear portion and the arcuate side portions of the cam tracks; and a sprocket wheel fixed to one of said end extensions and adapted to engage with the sprocket chain whereby to rotate the cylinder about its own axis in two complete revolutions during the downward, lower and upward movements of each cycle of bodily movement of the cylinder.

8. A printing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for maintaining the cylinder against rotation about its own axis comprises an upper cam rail formed on the interior side of one of the frames; a lower cam rail formed as an inward extension of the upper substantially horizontal portion of one endless cam track; a cam roller carried on the exterior side of one of the track wheels near the periphery thereof and adapted to ride between the upper and lower cam rails to prevent rotation of the cylinder about its own axis during the uppermost movement of the cylinder.

9. A printing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the articulate connection between the cylinder and the shaft comprises a pair of cradle links each having one end connected to one end extension of the spindle and another end; a transverse cradle member bridging the other ends of the cradle links; and a pair of radial arms each having one end pivoted to one of the cradle links intermediate the latters ends and another end fixed to the shaft.

10. A printing machine as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a paper gripping bar having two ends and a longitudinal edge hinged to the cylinder surface parallel to the cylinder axis; spring means for urging the gripping bar into paper retaining position, said paper feeding means automatically feeding a sheet of paper between the cylinder surface and the gripping bar when the latter is in paper releasing position; and said automatic releasing means comprising a cam plate fixed to one of the frames and a lug projecting from the gripping bar at one end thereof and adapted to engage with the cam plate for swinging the gripping bar about its longitudinal 10 edge into paper releasing position against the action of the spring means at the completion of the uppermost movement of the cylinder as the latter begins to rotate about its own axis.

11. A printing machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein said Wrapping means comprises a pair of wrapping arms carried on the cradle member for wrapping a paper retained by the gripping bar around the cylinder as the cylinder rotates about its own axis during its downward arcuate movement.

12. A printing machine as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a paper delivery tray secured to the frames at the other end of the machine; tripping lever means in the path of the bodily movement of and actuatable by the cylinder during the latters upward movement for moving the gripping bar into paper releasing position whereby the unwrapped printed paper may be delivered by gravity into said delivery tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,806,591 Allen May 26, 1931 1,985,701 Vandercook et a1. Dec. 25, 1934 2,390,583 Gollwitzer Dec. 11, 1945 2,639,662 Elliott May 26, 1953 2,854,921 Frankle et a1. Oct. 7, 1958 

